Fluorescent lighting fixture with reinforcing straps



SM/PLE Y /FI Nn YsM/TH i ATT RNEY Feb., 6, 1951 s. R. NAYSMITH FLUORESCENT LIGHTING FIXTURE WITH REINFORCING STRAPS Flled May 22, 1947 Patented Feb. 6, 1951 'FLUORESCENT LIGHTING FIXTURE WIT REINFORCIN G STRAPS Shirley It. Naysmith. Meriden, Conn., assignor to The Miller Company, Meriden, Conn., a corpul ration of Connecticut Application May Z2, 1947, Serial No. 749, 755

VThe present invention relates to fluorescent lighting iixtures. f' Fluorescent lighting fixtures customarily employ steel wiring channels and steel reinforcement straps welded in place. As these straps frequently support the sockets and various numbers and style `of socketsmay be used with the` same or substantially `the same wiring channel member, it is necessary to anticipate the particu-` lar use of the channel before the strapsware welded in place. As such welding must precede the painting and nishing operations, the warehousing and stocking of the equipment presents problems which the present invention aims to avoid.

I The present invention contemplates the manu-v facture of reinforced wireways wherein the reinforcing straps are mechanically interlocked with the wireway blank so that welding is unnecessary. This makes it possible to make the wireways complete vso far as manufacture is concerned and provide them with the desired iinshes, so that they may be stocked foruse in any of the various types of iixture to-be produced. Also the various cross straps may be made up, finished, shipped and stocked ready `for securement to the wireways, and the only tool equipment necessary is a suitable press. By avoiding welding it is possible to employ extruded or sheet aluminum wireways and gain the advantages of aluminum over steel y vwith respect to resistance to corrosion and lightness.

` Other and further objects will hereinafter appear as the description proceeds.

The accompanying drawings show, for purposes of illustrating the present invention, .an embodiment in which the invention may take form, it

being understood that the drawings are illustrativeof. the 'invention rather than limiting' the' Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on the.'

line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end view of the structure of Figure 1,;` 4

"Figure 4 .is a transverse sectional view on the .v

line 4&4 ofFigures 1 and 5, the 'lamp sockets being indicated in dotted lines only; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

The lighting fixture employs an inverted channel-Shaped wireway@ made ,oisase steel 5vClaims. (Cl.240--5 1.11)

or 18 gage aluminum, -or of somewhat thicker eX-f' truded aluminum. The wireway may be the# nominal lamp length of the fluorescent lamp -tc be used or twice such length where modularly relatedto .the lamp length,or longer where the lamps are to be spaced lengthwise.

ing is concerned.l It has longitudinal extending downwardly facing shoulders VI I and inwardly extending anges I2 with Vertical side walls I3 interconnecting the shoulders and flanges. Similar wireways -have heretofore been used with welded steel reinforcing straps. Socket-carrying cross-straps or plates I4-.I4 are provided at the. ends 'of the wireway. .These plates have hatv central portions I5 adapted to span the inside of the wiring channel or 4the wireway and be received under'theshoulders II and. downwardlyextending sides I6-I6 notched at their lower ends as indicated at I'I, Figure 5 and resting on the upper surfaces of the iianges I2. When the erations, the flanges I2 4may be slitted as indicated at Iii-I8, Figure 5, and the prong I9 between these slits is bent up to enter the notch` I'I. Where slitting is not done, a press may force l the material of the wireway to the desired position. The plates I4 are thus mechanically inter.

locked with the wireway so that they can neither move up nor down, nor laterally nor longitudiA nally of the wireway. These plates or straps I 4.. are made of stiff steel. .Lamp sockets 20-20 and. a starter socket 2l for sta-rter 2l l'may be secured.' to the plate I4. YTo facilitate connecting. theA wireways to lone another for continuous lighting. equipment, the plates `Ill have downwardly bent.

members 22 apertured at 23 for a bolt, not shown.

The wireway'is provided with a centrally lo-A cated reinforcing strap 25 narrower than thestrap I4. It is shaped to t against the upper" part ofthe wireway'so as'to support this part.. of the lwireway and 'has' bifurcated lower' ends as' indicated at'26 adaptedjto` receive inwardly fold-'-V ed prongs 2l' similar to the prongs I9. The wire? way also carries a pair of straps 28-28 similar to the strap 25. The straps 28-28 are spaced` thesarne astlie :spacing of the holes vin the re- A single` length unit is illustrated. The zcross-sectionoin-V the wireway may be of-various forms. `It is here, illustrated in a form heretofore in commonl use so as to beinterchangeable so far-as mount` verl the' Wlieway and these .Strapsif Vand shipped to the warehouse or other destination, also that the straps may be made up cornplete and similarly sent to the destination. -|The complete wireway unit may readily be' assembled, the only important tool necessary being a suitable press for folding the prongs I9 and 21 into place to secure the straps tothe wireway. The sockets and ballast may readily be secured to the wireway and the wiring installed. Y In as much as the improved Inode of securement of the reinforcing straps and channel member together does not contemplate welding, it is, possible to employ this construction with wireways made of aluminum, and secure the advantages of aluminum so far as weight and appearance are concerned. Aluminum wireways forsuch purposes have not heretofore been used because Aof the diiculties in reinforcingthejalu'- minum wireways on account of the difficulty of welding such aluminum parts. Since it is' obvious that the invention may be embodied in other forms and constructions within the scope of the claims, I wish it to be understood that the particular form shown is but one ofv these forms, and variousr modifications andl changes being possible, I do nototherwise limit myself in any way with respect thereto.

.What is claimed is: Y V

l., A weldless, reinforced article of manufacture foruse as the wireway and reflector and lamp supporting Vbody of an elongated, horizontally extending, fluorescent, lighting fixture, comprisin g'anelongated body having a top portion provided at its sides with downwardly facing shoulders, depending side walls below the shoulders and inwardlyY facing flanges at the bottom of the side walls to form an elongated downwardly oDSIling mouth of a width determined by the spacing of the flanges, and two pairs of transverselyextending, inverted, U-shaped reinforcing straps near each end, the straps having upper portions in engagement with the downwardly facing shoulders, sidev portions in engagement with the sidewalls of the body and ends restlr'ig on the top of the flanges whereby the straps areby such engagement confined against move-v ment. upwardly, downwardly or crosswise of the body, the lower portions of the sides of the crossev straps adjacent the flanges having opposed sur-v facesfacing toward the opposite ends of the body,

the flanges having upwardly bent portions which engage said opposed surfaces and form stops to prevent movement ofthe straps lengthwise of the body, a pair of uorescent lamp sockets secured to each of the outermost straps and pro-v jectingLbelow the flanges, and a reflector supporting clamp secured to the other strap of each pair and extending below the flanges.

"2 '5A weldless, reinforced article of nianufacturev fof use as the wireway and lamp supporting body of an elongated horizontally extending,I fluorescent, lighting fixture, comprising an elon# gated body'having a top portion provided at itsg sides'with downwardlyifacing shoulders, depending side walls below the shoulders and inwardly facing flanges at the bottom of the side walls to form an elongated downwardly opening mouth of a width determined by the spacing of fthe flanges, and two transversely extending inverted UV-shaped reinforcing straps at Veach end;

the strap 'having 'upper portionsin engagement' tions in engagement with the side walls of the body and ends resting on the top of the flanges whereby the straps are by such engagement conlined against movement upwardly, downwardly or crosswise of the body, the lower portions of the sides of the cross-straps adjacent the flanges having opposed surfacesfacing toward the opposite ends of the body, the flanges having upwardly bent portions which engage said opposed surfaces and form stops to prevent movement of Athe straps lengthwise of the body, and a pair of fluorescent lamp sockets secured to each of the outermost straps and projecting below the y flanges.

3. A weldless, reinforced article of manufacture for use as the wireway and reflector supporting body of an elongated horizontally extending, fluorescent, lighting fixture, comprising an elongatedrbody having a top portion provided at its sides with downwardly facing shoulders, depending side walls below the shoulders and inwardly facing flanges at the bottom of the side walls to form an elongated downwardly opening mouth of a width determined bythe spacing of the flanges, and two transversely extending invertedV U-shaped reinforcing straps spaced from the ends of the body, the Vstrap having upper portions in engagement with the downwardly facing shoulders, side portions in engagement with the' side walls of the body and ends resting on the top of the flanges whereby the straps are byV such engagement confined against movement upwardly, downwardly or crosswise of the body, the lower portions of the sides of the cross-straps ladjacentvthe flanges having opposed surfaces facing toward the opposite ends of the body, the" flanges having upwardly bent portions which en-l gage said opposed surfaces and form stops to prevent movement ofthe straps lengthwise ofv the body, and reflector supporting clamps secured to the straps and extending below the flanges. 'f

4. A weldless, reinforced Iarticle of manufacture for use as the wireway and supporting body having upwardly bent portionsl which engagesaid' opposed surfaces and form stops to prevent moveof an elongated horizontally extending, fluorescent, lighting fixture, comprising an elongated bodyA having atop portion provided at itsv sides with downwardly` facing shoulders, vdepending" side walls below theV shoulders and inwardly 'fac ing flanges at the bottomof the side walls to form an elongated downwardly opening mouth of a width determined by the spacing of the flanges, and transversely extending inverted, U-shaped reinforcing straps having upper portions in engagement with the downwardly facing shoulders, side portions in engagement with the side walls ofthe body and ends resting on the top of the flanges whereby the straps are by such engagement confined against movement upwardly, downwardly or crosswise of the body, the lower portions of the sdesof the cross-straps adjacentthe flanges having opposed surfacesmfacing toward the opposite ends of the body, the flanges;-

ment of the straps lengthwise vof the body.`

5. A weldless, reinforced article of man'ufacf,r ture as claimed in claim 4, wherein the opposed surfaces are the sides of a downwardly opening. notch in the strap sides, vand bent portions are" in the form of prongs enteringthe notches.

SHIRLEY R. NAYSMITH.

(References on following ragen REFERENCES CITED Number The following references are of record in the file 0f thls patent. 2:408i783 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 Number Name Date 1,701,087 Tangard Feb. 5, 1929 Number 2,090,239 Strang Aug. 17, 1937 549,749

Name Date Naysmith July 28, 1942 Hoeveler Sept. 15, 1942 Kloner Oct. 8, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS I Country Date Great Britain Dec. 4, 1942 

